TURNTABLE LAB

DJ Kaos
Love The Nite Away (Tiedye Remix) 12"

cool new disco with balearic remix

Rong and DFA join forces once again to bring you that pumpin' new disco you crave. DJ Kaos' "Love The Nite Away" combines a pulsing italo style apreggiator bassline with big drums and big guitars for a funky disco rocker that'll work in the club and the small bar. Italians Do It Better representers Tiedye take the softer route on their remix and transform the nightclub vibe of the original into a totally balearic and breezy number. Includes instrumental for the original.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
dfa + related / dance + house + new disco + electro + nujazz / rong + related / new disco / cosmic / edits - new arrivals

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Free Blood
Royal Family 12"

The latest from these on-the-rise Brooklynites comes once again from both Rong AND DFA at the same time (talk about a good label deal), so if you haven't heard about these guys ilsten up. "Royal Family(1)" is a prime slice of modern dance rock goodness that pushes the boundaries and blurs the edges. Slightly dark, but definitely danceable and with a quirky, artsy vibe. "Grumpy(2)" ups the BPMs to a speedy electro tempo adding funky bass and energetic vocals in the mix for a hip dance bomb... I can see both of these being played at bars in Williamsburg for the rest of the summer and then some! Of course you get the remix action - one from Brothers(3) who turn in a chuggin' electro version of "Royal Family" and one from UK DJ legend Greg Wilson(4) who does a dubbed out disco take on "Grumpy."
reviewed by suicide bangs

file under:
dfa + related / rong + related

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Gary Davis
Chocolate Star Vol.2 (Greg Wilson, James Pants) EP

When it comes to the early 80's disco-boogie, Gary Davis' Chocolate Star stuff is the perfect balance of lo-fi gritty funk and sweet soul. The guys at Rong know this very well and have rounded up some of today's most relevant and like-minded producers to do some re- interpretations and re-works of the sound. Check out Greg Wilson's boogie-fied remix of "One Life To Live(1)," the updated 2009 version
(2) of the Gary Davis classic "The Pop," the sleazy, cosmic-lounge vibe of "Gotta Get Your Love Version(3)," and James Pants' freaky breakbeat remix of "Mzuri Sana(4)." Fans of all the recent boogie releases should definitely check. Comes in a fresh Rong sleeve.
reviewed by snackmaster

file under:
funk soul disco 12" - A-J / rong + related

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Gary Davis
The Professor Here (Greg Wilson & 40 Thieves Remixes) 12"

Gary Davis' lo-fi disco boogie funk bomb "The Professor's Here" gets the modernized revamp from UK DJ legend Greg Wilson and Rong representatives 40Thieves. The original(1) is the shit and can't be touched, so thankfully these dudes know what they're doing and handle the track with the utmost respect to do it justice. Greg Wilson(2) adds a bumpin' 4x4 disco thump to the track giving it easy to mix in your house set and when those guitar licks and funky bassline kicks in it's a wrap! SF's 40 Thieves(3) beef up the drums as well, plus add some sick congas, percussion, and replayed analog bass to keep things movin' real smooth. Recommended.
reviewed by snackmaster

file under:
funk soul disco - reviewer recommended / new disco / cosmic / edits - reviewer recommended / funk soul disco 12" - A-J / dance + house + new disco + electro + nujazz / and more

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Juan Maclean
One Day (Emperor Machine, Surkin) 12"

indie dance with top notch remixes

The stand-out cut from The Future Will Come gets the proper 12" treatment with an assortment of remixes to please any dancefloor with a pulse. Though the original mix of "One Day(1)" is hard to beat with its tough italo bassline, epic strings (courtesy of Alex from HolyGhost!), and deadpan vocals, the Emperor Machine remix(2) is up there with a krautrock-ish disco vibe for those with an affinity to the cosmic side of things. Institubes' young buck Surkin gives it a go(3) and pumps the track up with his own brand of high energy electro juice, while Marc Romboy(4) flips it on the more minimal house tip.
reviewed by snackmaster

file under:
dfa + related / dance + house + new disco + electro + nujazz / rong + related / new disco / cosmic / edits - new arrivals

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Juan Maclean
One Day Remixes (Emperor Machine, Surkin) 12"

The stand-out cut from The Future Will Come gets the proper 12" treatment with an assortment of remixes to please any dancefloor with a pulse. Though the original mix of "One Day(1)" is hard to beat with its tough italo bassline, epic strings (courtesy of Alex from HolyGhost!), and deadpan vocals, the Emperor Machine remix(2) is up there with a krautrock-ish disco vibe for those with an affinity to the cosmic side of things. Institubes' young buck Surkin gives it a go(3) and pumps the track up with his own brand of high energy electro juice, while Marc Romboy(4) flips it on the more minimal house tip. White label pressing so get on it!
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
dfa + related / rong + related / new disco / cosmic / edits - new arrivals

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Prince of Dance Music
The True Story of House Music EP

Rong is back, remixing the 1989 Nu Groove classic "The True Story of House Music." First up, "The New Age of Faith(1)" is a slow burner, with an almost soundtrack quality to it. Mellow, yet deep, we are thrown into a dreamland journey here - a great track for warming up the floors with. Next up, "The New Age Of Faith (Act 1 The Sea: Birth, Act 2 The Land: Life, Act 3 The Stars Faith In Heaven)(2)" really sounds like a play- with no beats, and different elements of the track appearing and disappearing. Last up, "Music (I’m So Alone) (3)" is a classic early 90's sounding house joint, with an old school male vocal layed on top of old school beats, and a dark bassline. Gotta love the "feeed meeee bass" sample, as well as the SUPER old school keys in there. Rong does it again!
reviewed by Alison Tara

file under:
rong + related

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Rong Music
Bits, Beats & Breaks Sampler EP

This record has a gang of chunky tripped out beats that will appeal to almost everyone who takes a listen. There's tuff breaks, smooth downtempo, dirty disco, and house beats. These sound like track ideas that just never got finished, so they pressed 'em as is. Doubles are probably needed to extend some of these cuts out a little, or get your quick mix on and do something creative. Side A starts with "Bunker Beat(1)," an uptempo broken beat jam with a dirty bass line and some reversed vocal samples. "Orange" is pumpin house beat that would sound progressive if it weren't for the thick ass beat and old school hand claps. "Mike's Monkey(2)" is an insane combo of b-boy breaks, brazilian cuica noises, and weird digital feedback. With a ton of clever beat drops and stops, the track keeps getting stranger and stranger but never loses its funky edge. The B-side takes a more downtempo approach with two really nice warm beats. "Tregay(3)" is a dubbed-out beat sounding kinda like Zeb without the middle eastern influence. "Slow and Low(4)" is probably the only full song on here, clocking in at six and a half minutes, and it's a keeper. Buttery downtempo with lots of dubby keys and chords, strange atmospheric samples, and a head-nodding beat. The final cut is called "Interlude" and could be used for just that, breaking up your set with a quirky chopped beat with tons of reverb on a percussive tabla loop. This is a cool record which any creative DJ should find some use for. And this most likely this won't be available for easy download, so all you Serato geeks who think they can mix without cue points and on-screen tempo displays may actually have to carry these on vinyl. Aww poor things...
reviewed by SABO

file under:
rong + related

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Scotty Coats & Wes The Mes
Double Fisted (Prins Thomas Remixes) 12"

West Coast connection in effect on this one: Scotty Coats (took me a second to figure out why name was so familiar - dude was in charge of sales down @ Ubiquity, been receiving his emails for a while now) and Wes the Mes (in my favourite name top 10 now), probably old compadres of Spun and Ben. The duo comes correct with a proper (non-demo) version of their "Double Fisted(1)" track and even get Norwegian disco wizard Prins Thomas to turn in his signature "Disko Miks(2)" of the track. There's actually two Prins Thomas versions on here, the other(3) is super extended with all kinds of funk guitar and instrumentation. Also includes the lo-fi rockin' sound of "R.I.P. Mike Conley(4)."
reviewed by snackmaster

file under:
dfa + related / rong + related

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Shocking Pinks
Cutout / Dressed To Please Remixes 2x12"

Heavyweight double 12" pack featuring two big remixes of "Cutout" off Shocking Pinks' DFA debut, plus three new mixes of the non-album "Dressed To Please." Ex-Tussle member Alexis Georgopoulos and compadre Quinn Luke flesh out the drum-centric aspect of "Cutout" on their Expanding Head Band remix(1), then Lee Douglas(2) flips the script completely on his beautiful and hypnotic slow tribal remix (hands down my pick of the bunch here). The second 12" features three deep, dubby instrumental mixes of "Dressed To Please," the most substantial being the Deepchord remix(3), followed by the sidelong Echospace reduction(4) and Nathan Fake remix(5). "Cutout" mixes play at 45, "Dressed" at 33.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
dfa + related / rong + related

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The Voices
Cavern / Spooky (Woolfy) EP

Since when is two tracks an EP? Well, I guess when you have Rong Music's new disco MVP Woolfy hittin the remix, you can call it what you want. The Voices are cool and although they only have two tracks on here, they're a great example of detailed grooves. "Cavern(1)" rides on a "disco not disco" vibe not often heard these days while "Spooky(2)" funks on a slow burning cosmic jam sure to send you on a psychedelic space trip. The real meal though is "Woolfy's Neu Rave Disco Mix" of Spooky(3)" that still keeps the spaced out psychedelic synths in there, but ups the tempo to raise the dancefloor energy. Although, I already predict most will sleep on this, trust me, it's quality.
reviewed by C'mish

file under:
all / various K-Z / rong + related

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V/A
Black Disco, Vol.3 (Julien Love, Nitedog, Lee Douglas) EP

Third installment of this tasteful disco edit series out this time featuring contemporary disco aficionados Lee Douglas, Nitedog, and Julien Love. The thang kicks off with Julien Love's edit of The Jacksons' "Real Good Time(1)" a robust vocal heater for the dance floor, edited for effectiveness, but unobtrusive (an extended intro here, a little echo there). It works. Nitedog offers up a gritty edit of Bionic Boogie's "Chains(2)" complete with fuzz bass, extended intro, and phased out bongo breaks. The Fatback Band's "Midnite(3)" gets an understated, loopy rework by Lee Douglass to round things out. A side at 45, B at 33.
reviewed by Michu Meszaros

file under:
rong + related / vinyl new arrivals / new disco / cosmic / edits - new arrivals / cosmic + balearic + rock-ish

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V/A
Notwave Compilation Sampler 12"

The second collaborative release from underground super powers Rong and DFA. This sampler is taken from a 2008 Japanese compilation that will hopefully be released here. Features tracks from Striplight(1) (who are affiliated with Tim Love Lee's Tummy Touch, Rong band Tussle(2), and the relatively unknown Welcome Stranger(3). Their track is the most original here, sounding almost half-speed with re-played Spy Hunter (yeah, the video game) synth line.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
rong + related

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V/A
Notwave Compilation Sampler #2 12"

Three more standout tracks from the much hyped DFA/Rong collabo-comp. This time out we get Fre$hro's slo-mo Spoon cover "I Turn My Camera On(1)," Tim 'Love' Lee's dub mix of Circuits' Police-esque "Pistols At Dawn(2)," and the vintage no wave funk sounds of Research's "The River Art(3)." Three tracks total, plays at 45.
reviewed by Van Hammersly

file under:
dfa + related / rong + related

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Vegard Wolf Dyvik
Rogn I Pasan EP

spacey new disco

Seriously smoking nu-disco heat by way of Norway's Vegard Wolf Dyvik aka Lil' Wolf courtesy of New York's Rong Music. The sexy disco funk is on with "All My Friends Are Awesome(1)" - as the drums and bass bring it on everything gets stripped away to reveal a nice arpeggiated synth that builds greatness from there. "One Of Us Don't Get It(2)" loops up some disco drums and lets the echo go wild. The slow Moroder-ish build of Trouble Child is enough to please any Italo Disco fan. Also includes the 11 minute space disco excursion "Trouble Child(3)" with Preben Orlam that takes its time hypnotizing you with synth washes until the break and the power stabs come in to take it over the top. Epic!
reviewed by Michu Meszaros

file under:
dance + house + new disco + electro + nujazz / rong + related / new disco / cosmic / edits - new arrivals

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Woolfy
Oh Missy (In Flagranti Remix) 12"

The latest split label relese from Rong and DFA comes from LA's own Simon James (aka Woolfy) with the first single off his forthcoming album. With previous releases on Rong, Mindless Boogie, and Permanent Vacation, Woolfy is no noob and you can chalk "Oh Missy(1)" up there as another super feel-able, electro disco-rocker. Flipside is taken over by the In Flagranti boys who take the original and tweak the shit out of it in two separate flavors. First you get the hilariously titled "Meat-packing mix(2)" (and if you've ever been to a club in the Meat Packing district in NYC, you can see how this might fit), and also the "Xenon mix(3)" which has their signature new disco thump kinda sounding like Metro Area's "Miura" put through a trashy glam filter.
reviewed by snackmaster

file under:
dfa + related / rong + related / cosmic + balearic + rock-ish

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Woolfy
Oh Missy (Whatever/Whatever Remix) 12"

Oh Missy is Woolfy's most catchiest song to date, partly because of the pop hook and also the cool disco new wave groove. It's no wonder the track has been ressurected (originally released in 2005) and is getting lots of remix action (past remixers include In Flagranti). This time around Whatever/Whatever takes a stab at reworking the track(1), doing awesome job with a bad-ass old school house style. The dub mix(2) even throws in some ill italo arpeggios. Should be big with fans of recent DFA and Rong stuff. Also includes the original instrumental(3) as a bonus. Recommended.
reviewed by snackmaster

file under:
new disco / cosmic / edits - reviewer recommended / dfa + related / rong + related / cosmic + balearic + rock-ish

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Woolfy vs. Projections
Neeve (Time & Space Machine) 12"

Stand out cut from the recent Astral Projections Of Starlight finally gets a proper 12" release. "Neeve(1)" is one of Woolfy Vs. Projections' deepest tracks, a slow burning trek to the outer reaches of the balearic cosmos, with smooth lyrics to boot. Time And Space Machine give it a slight remix(2) that just extends the groove in all the right places, while Permanent Vacation mutates it into a grooving "Tropical Heat" version(3) suitable for all kinds of freaky dance rituals. Also includes the 12" only track "Isabella(4)."
reviewed by snackmaster

file under:
rong + related / new disco / cosmic / edits - new arrivals

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